THERE ARE few individuals in North Jersey who have fostered a greater
understanding of Arab-Americans. Imam Mohammad Qatanani is one of those
individuals.
On Thursday, an immigration judge ruled that the spiritual leader of the
Islamic Center of Passaic County can make the United States his permanent home.
It is a victory for more than the imam.
U.S. officials had sought to deport Qatanani, claiming he concealed an arrest
and conviction in the West Bank before entering the United States. Qatanai
denied the charges.
The Paterson-based imam's case drew national attention because Qatanani is
viewed as a moderate voice of Islam in North Jersey, particularly after Sept.
11, 2001. Prominent public officials, including U.S. Attorney Christopher
Christie and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., have voiced support for Qatanani, as well
as spiritual leaders of other faiths.
The man they knew - the man who spoke of moderation in the days after 9/11
and who encouraged more interaction between his congregation and U.S. officials
- could not be a terrorist sympathizer.
In his ruling, immigration Judge Alberto J. Riefkohl said the government's
case was incomplete and that the testimony of key witnesses, two federal agents,
was not credible.
Riefkohl wrote, "Their testimony is tainted by the lack of an accurate record
and their inconsistent and contradictory testimony."
Federal officials claimed that Qatanani, who emigrated from Jordan in 1996 on
a religious visa, did not disclose his prior arrest and conviction by Israeli
security officials in 1993 while traveling in the West Bank. Israelis contended
that the imam had ties to Hamas.
Qatanani said that he did not know he was ever convicted while detained in
Israel. The arrest only came to light when he applied for permanent U.S.
residency.
The imam and his wife have six children; three of the children were born in
the United States. If he had been deported, the entire family would have left
the country. But Thursday's ruling brings more than peace of mind to Qatanani,
his family and congregation. It also serves as a reminder of how important
judicial review is in the immigration process.
Qatanani's case was closely monitored by public officials, the media and the
public at large. Few immigration cases receive such attention. And as public
attention shifts from the Republican and Democratic conventions toward the
general election in November, it is equally important that immigration reform
move to the forefront of public discourse.
Congress has failed to reform the nation's immigration policies. The next
Congress must do more than resolve what to do with an estimated 12 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States. It must implement changes
throughout the entire federal immigration system, including shortening the wait
time for processing requests for permanent legal residency and ensuring all
immigrants have fair judicial review.
In a written statement following Thursday's ruling, Pascrell said: Today's
verdict is more than just a victory for one man or one community; it is a
victory for Passaic County and all of America."
We agree.
THERE ARE few individuals in North Jersey who have fostered a greater
understanding of Arab-Americans. Imam Mohammad Qatanani is one of those
individuals.
On Thursday, an immigration judge ruled that the spiritual leader of the
Islamic Center of Passaic County can make the United States his permanent home.
It is a victory for more than the imam.
U.S. officials had sought to deport Qatanani, claiming he concealed an arrest
and conviction in the West Bank before entering the United States. Qatanai
denied the charges.
The Paterson-based imam's case drew national attention because Qatanani is
viewed as a moderate voice of Islam in North Jersey, particularly after Sept.
11, 2001. Prominent public officials, including U.S. Attorney Christopher
Christie and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., have voiced support for Qatanani, as well
as spiritual leaders of other faiths.
The man they knew - the man who spoke of moderation in the days after 9/11
and who encouraged more interaction between his congregation and U.S. officials
- could not be a terrorist sympathizer.
In his ruling, immigration Judge Alberto J. Riefkohl said the government's
case was incomplete and that the testimony of key witnesses, two federal agents,
was not credible.
Riefkohl wrote, "Their testimony is tainted by the lack of an accurate record
and their inconsistent and contradictory testimony."
Federal officials claimed that Qatanani, who emigrated from Jordan in 1996 on
a religious visa, did not disclose his prior arrest and conviction by Israeli
security officials in 1993 while traveling in the West Bank. Israelis contended
that the imam had ties to Hamas.
Qatanani said that he did not know he was ever convicted while detained in
Israel. The arrest only came to light when he applied for permanent U.S.
residency.
The imam and his wife have six children; three of the children were born in
the United States. If he had been deported, the entire family would have left
the country. But Thursday's ruling brings more than peace of mind to Qatanani,
his family and congregation. It also serves as a reminder of how important
judicial review is in the immigration process.
Qatanani's case was closely monitored by public officials, the media and the
public at large. Few immigration cases receive such attention. And as public
attention shifts from the Republican and Democratic conventions toward the
general election in November, it is equally important that immigration reform
move to the forefront of public discourse.
Congress has failed to reform the nation's immigration policies. The next
Congress must do more than resolve what to do with an estimated 12 million
undocumented immigrants living in the United States. It must implement changes
throughout the entire federal immigration system, including shortening the wait
time for processing requests for permanent legal residency and ensuring all
immigrants have fair judicial review.
In a written statement following Thursday's ruling, Pascrell said: Today's
verdict is more than just a victory for one man or one community; it is a
victory for Passaic County and all of America."
We agree.
http://www.northjersey.com/opinion/editorials/27945604.html
